The First Round with Darren Barker

🥊 A future champion sits down with a living legend. In this very special episode of First Round TV, Dalton Smith is interviewed by his idol, the undefeated world champion Joe Calzaghe. - This raw, honest, and emotional conversation spans generations of boxing: from the early struggles with their fathers in the gym, to title wins, self-doubt, legacy, and what it really takes to stay unbeaten. 📈 J...

British heavyweight Fabio Wardley joins Darren Barker on First Round TV ahead of the biggest fight of his career — a world title eliminator against former WBO world champion Joseph Parker at the O2 Arena in London this Saturday. This isn’t just a fight. It’s a moment that could define Wardley’s legacy — and in this brutally honest conversation, he reveals the wild journey that brought him here: no...

Nigel Benn. World Champion. National Hero. Broken Man. In this powerful and emotional interview, boxing icon Nigel “The Dark Destroyer” Benn sits down with Darren Barker on First Round TV to reveal the brutal truth behind the knockout power, the rivalries, and the pain that followed him long after the final bell. From his legendary wars with Chris Eubank, Michael Watson, and Gerald McClellan, to h...

This is Ricky Hatton’s final interview. Just four days before his passing, Ricky sat down with Darren Barker for what would become his last ever conversation on camera. With the blessing of Ricky’s family and team, we share this with the boxing world — not as an ending, but as a celebration of Ricky’s incredible life, his legacy, and his love for the fans who stood by him from day one. . Ricky spe...

“Deontay Wilder’s power is different — and Malik Scott knows why.” Former heavyweight contender turned trainer  Malik Scott  joins Darren Barker on  First Round TV  for one of the most honest and emotional conversations we’ve ever had. Growing up in Philadelphia, Malik was fighting to protect his younger brother before he even found boxing. Guided by legendary trainer  Fre...

Two-weight world champion  Carl Frampton  joins Darren Barker on First Round TV for one of his most revealing interviews to date. From growing up in Belfast during The Troubles to winning world titles in front of his home crowd, Frampton shares the untold stories behind the belts — the pain, the politics, and the sacrifices that fans never saw. He opens up about: Turning pro out of despe...

Five-time world champion Antonio “The Magic Man” Tarver  reveals the untold truth behind  knocking out Roy Jones Jr , the controversial  Bernard Hopkins fight , and his Hollywood role in  Rocky Balboa  with  Sylvester Stallone . From  street fights in Orlando  to Olympic glory, from shocking the boxing world to starring on the big screen — this is Antonio Ta...

Joe Calzaghe sits down for a deeply personal, no-holds-barred conversation with former world champion and close friend Darren Barker — and it might be the most emotional and revealing interview of his legendary career. From going 46-0 and becoming a two-weight world champion, to walking away from £10 million comeback offers, and now embracing life beyond boxing — Joe opens up about retirement, reg...

This one wasn’t planned. In the middle of NYC traffic, a chance Uber ride turned into a once-in-a-lifetime conversation with **Shannon "The Cannon" Briggs** – and it's one of the most emotional episodes we’ve ever recorded. The former World Heavyweight Champion opens up like never before about: - Growing up homeless in Brownsville, Brooklyn - His first fight at 16, sparked by fear of crossing a br...

Liam Smith joins Darren Barker on First Round TV to deliver one of the most honest and powerful interviews in British boxing. From the rough streets of Liverpool to world title glory, Liam tells the full story — no filters, no fluff. In this deeply personal conversation, Liam opens up about: 🧒 Growing up in a boxing-mad household with the legendary Smith brothers 🥊 Sparring in the living room as...

Undefeated British light-heavyweight  Ezra Taylor  is no longer a rising star — he’s a serious contender with elite ambitions. In this gripping conversation with former world champion  Darren Barker , Ezra lays out his path to boxing’s summit. With 12 wins, 8 KOs, and a WBC International belt already under his name, Ezra doesn’t pull punches. He wants the best —  Dmitry Bivol,...

Viddal Riley: From YouTube Corner to British Champion | First Round TV Most people know Viddal Riley as KSI’s boxing coach. But what they’ve missed is the fighter behind the trainer — an 8-time national champion who walked away from fame to chase real legacy in the sport. In this episode, Viddal joins Darren Barker to talk about: Coaching KSI, Bezinga & the Sidemen His childhood in the gym und...

What would you do if your phone rang during dinner… and on the other end, someone asked if you were ready to fight Shakur Stevenson for the world title — in four days? In this unbelievable episode, Josh Padley joins Darren Barker to tell the  real-life Rocky story  that shook the boxing world. One moment, he’s installing solar panels in Doncaster. The next, he’s flying business class to...

Hamzah Sheeraz joins Darren Barker on First Round TV for his most honest, raw and revealing interview yet. From growing up without a father figure to working as an apprentice electrician at 15 just to help his family eat, Hamzah opens up about the pressure, pain, and sacrifice behind his rise through boxing. He shares the emotional aftermath of his controversial draw with Carlos Adames, the brutal...

Dave Allen is back – and he’s not holding back. In this emotional and unpredictable conversation with Darren Barker, the White Rhino revisits the highs and brutal lows of his career. From sparring Tyson Fury and Usyk and getting battered by Tony Yoka, to being called a “fat pig” in France and paying to fight on the small hall scene – this is a deep dive into boxing’s most unlikely cult hero. Now t...

In this raw and emotional episode, Chris Billam-Smith sits down with Darren Barker to tell the unfiltered story of his rise from sleeping in a motorhome to becoming a world champion. Before fighting on the huge Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn fight at Selhurst Park on April 26th against American powerhouse Brandon Glanton, Chris opens up about the defining moments of his journey: ➡️ Living without r...

In this unmissable episode, former world champion Tony Bellew sits down with Darren Barker for the most honest conversation of his career. From Goodison Park glory to Creed, from the pain of family loss to the pressure of defining moments — Bellew holds nothing back. He opens up on the war with David Haye, facing Usyk, and why he nearly walked away from boxing for good. A powerful look into legacy...

For the first time In this exclusive podcast Conor Benn joins Darren to talk about the incredible roller coaster of a life he has had. Conor talks about everything from the controversy over the drugs test and everything he did to prove his innocence. To his insane journey as being the son of the his famous dad Nigel Benn and how thats effected his own journey rising through the ranks of British bo...

In this episode we get the absolute privilege to sit down with former heavy weight world champion Joseph Parker ahead of his massive fight with Daniel Dubois. Joe has had an incredible journey in boxing and an insane comeback story. Joe talks about his thoughts on Daniel Dubois's behaviour, What Tyson fury did for him that no one knows and his thoughts on the potential Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury...

In this podcast DAZN's commentator Darren Barker sits down with boxing sensation Johnny Fisher. In the space of just four years Johnny has gone from selling meat with dad Big John to becoming Eddie Hearn's newest heavyweight star. Johnny has amassed a impressive social media presence and die hard fan base allowing him to sell out show after show. In this episode of the First Round Podcast: Johnny...